Chelsea captain John Terry has nominated goalkeeper Petr Cech and defender David Luiz as the leaders of the next generation at Stamford Bridge.

Brazil star Luiz has silenced some of his doubters with improved displays at the heart of the Chelsea defensive line in recent months and his fine form has been one of the reasons why Terry has been forced to spend more time than he might like on the bench.

Yet Terry insists Luiz is worthy of the praise coming his way, backing his 25-year-old team-mate to take on a leadership role alongside long-standing keeper Cech.

"Naturally, big Pete [Cech] will get the armband and, hopefully, I have a few years left, but you look at David [Luiz] and he has done incredibly well this year," Terry is quoted as saying in the Guardian.

"He has stepped into midfield and been pulled back in certain games. It must be difficult for a player to be pulled left, right and centre but he is capable of doing it.

"He has the personality of a leader. He pushes the lads. He is like that in training, demanding a lot from himself and the other players around him. It's good for the squad.

"When they see myself, Frank [Lampard] and Petr on a daily basis and players over the years like Didier [Drogba] training like that, they can only learn and repeat what we've done.

"With the experience we've got around the squad, the older players can obviously pass that down. We know we've all got a big part to play. It's important that as a group and a squad we stick together for what is a tough run-in."

Terry went on to suggest victory against Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday could be crucial to Chelsea's hopes of a top four finish, as he hinted Champions League football has to be secured if the club are to thrive in the transfer market this summer.

"Liverpool have had a mixed season themselves but they always seem to up their game when we go there," he said. "Three points is a must again and so is Champions League qualification, for the club, the supporters and in terms of moving forward, with signings in the summer."